Swimming pool vacuuming apparatus



May 13, 1969 R. E. MILLER SWIMMING POOL VACUUMING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 8, 1966 INVENTOR. B05527 MILL 5,?

0 o 4 000% 2 A j 4 3 Q 3 7 A o o H II RNMNNN N \L N F United States Patent US. Cl. 4-172 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An open top container adapted to be removably placed in a swimming pool strainer well with an exit pipe nipple received in the exit port of the well so that the swimming pool will draw water out of the container through said exit pipe nipple; said container having a transparent cover closing the top thereof, which cover has a vacuum hose receiving nipple and a vacuum breaking port therethrough, which port can be selectively closed; said container having a cross dimension much greater than said vacuum hose receiving nipple and said exit pipe nipple to form an enlarged chamber to trap a limited amount of air, and a strainer removably located in said container for straining water drawn through the container.

This invention refers to swimming pool vacuuming apparatus and more particularly to such apparatus adapted to be received in the strainer while adjacent a swimming pool for the vacuuming operation.

In the past, when it was desired to vacuum a swimming pool, the swimming pool pump was turned off. Then, a vacuum hosewith a vacuum attachment at one endhad its other end secured to a connection leading to the inlet side of the swimming pool pump, sometimes through the swimming pool filter. Such arrangement has the difiiculty that leaves and other matter which is vacuumed rapidly clogs the filter, or pump, causing a loss in vacuuming power and a loss in time necessary to clean the filter, or pump, extra times.

One aspect of the present invention is that it incorporates a removable container, having a removable strainer therein, connected to the pump end of the vacuum hose. By this means, the leaves and other larger particles are prevented from passing on to the swimming pool filter and/or the pump.

Another aspect of the present invention is that the container which has the strainer therein is particularly adapted to be removably disposed in a strainer well adjacent a swimming pool and further adapted to be mounted in operating relation with the exit port of the strainer well. By this arrangement, the normal amount of water in the strainer well functions to reduce the sealing requirements of the apparatus.

Still another aspect of the present invention is a provision of the vacuum breaking port in the container, which port can be selectively opened in order to permit removal of the container from the strainer well, or removal of a cover on the container, without turning off the swimming pool pump. This feature of the present invention, particularly when incorporated with a transparent cover on the container, greatly speeds the vacuuming operation.

With the foregoing in mind, it is a major object of this invention to provide improved swimming pool vacuuming apparatus.

Another object of this invention is to provide for vacuuming a swimming pool apparatus which is adapted to be disposed in a strainer well adjacent a swimming pool during the vacuming operation and then removed.

Still another object of this invention is to provide swimming pool vacuuming apparatus which may be removed from an operative connection with the inlet side of a swimming pool pump while the pump is in operation.

A still further object of this invention is to provide swimming pool vacuuming apparatus which may be quickly disposed in the strainer well of the swimming pool in operative relation with a port in the bottom of the well leading to the inlet side of the swimming pool pump, and which apparatus will permit the user to selectively connect and disconnect a vacuuming hose from the container without turning otf the pump.

It is still another object of this invention to provide low cost swimming pool vacuuming apparatus which may be easily used to rapidly vacuum a swimming pool.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide swimming pool vacuum apparatus adapted to be disposed in the strainer well of a swimming pool and adapted to use Water in the strainer well for increasing the sealing relation between the various parts of the apparatus and between the container and the bottom of the strainer well.

Other and further objects of this invention will become apparent in the detailed description below in connection with the attached drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway perspective view of a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the first embodiment of the present invention taken along line 22 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the first embodiment of the present invention taken along line 33 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of a portion of the present invention disclosing the valve plate in position where it does not prevent flow through the vacuum breaking port of the "apparatus; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken along line 55 in FIG. 2 disclosing in further detail the manner of mounting the plate which selectively closes the valve breaking port.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is disclosed a strainer well '10 conventionally disposed adjacent a wall of a swimming pool 11. An inlet passage 12 communicates the interior of the strainer well 10' with the swimming pool water with a weir, such as tilting weir \13, being disposed in the inlet passage.

At its upper end, the strainer well 10 has an opening 15 in deck 16 around the pool. The opening 15 is selectively closed by a circular cover which is not shown.

Near the center of bottom 18 of the strainer well 10, a pipe 19 opens into the well through a port 20 formed by the upper end of the pipe 19. This pipe .19 leads to the inlet side of the swimming pool pump either directly or through a filter. As best seen in FIG. 3, there are a plurality of interior threads at the upper end of the pipe 19. Strainer wells specially designed for embodiments of the present invention would not have threads such as threads 20 since they are not necessary. On the other hand, one important feature of the present invention is that it can be used in conventional strainer wells. Accordingly, since the conventional strainer well has interior threads at the position of threads 20, the threads 20 are disclosed.

In normal use, the strainer well 10 has a strainer of some type disposed therein. In the drawings, the strainer is not shown because it has been removed. However, means which would support the strainer, by way of example, a plurality of support projections 22, would be remaining in the well. The support projections 22, would not interfere with the use of embodiments of the present invention.

Removably disposed within the strainer well 10 is an open top container 25 which is preferably made of plastic or metal. The container 25 has in its bottom 26, a passage means for passage of water out of the container. Preferably, the passage is a centrally disposed short pipe 27 which depends a small distance below the bottom 26. Around the pipe 27 there is a gasket 28 which is secured to the bottom 26. When the unit is in operative relation with the port 20, the depending portion of the short pipe 27 serves to index the container 25 with the port 20. Then, as will be described in further detail below, the vacuum which is drawn by drawing water out through the pipe 19 functions to urge the container 25 downwardly against the bottom 18increasing the sealing action of the gasket 28.

Near the top of the container 25, there is provided an inwardly projecting annular ledge 30 on which is supported a strainer basket 31 by interengagement of the above mentioned annular ledge and the outwardly projecting annular ledge 32 on the strainer basket. Both of the ledges 30 and 32 make a complete circle and form a suflicient seal to leaves and other objects from going around the strainer basket 31. The strainer basket 31 has a large number of holes 34 through which the water may pass, however, items such as leaves and relatively large objects are retained in the strainer basket. To the end of lifting the strainer basket 31 out of the container 25, there is provided a bail 35 swingably secured in bosses 36 on the upper edge of the basket.

For purposes of closing the open top of the container 25, there is provided a removable cover 40 having an annular gasket 41 secured thereto. The cover 40 is preferably made of transparent material, such as plastic, in order that the operator may check the accumulation of debris in the strainer basket 31 without removing the cover. The upper edge of the container 25 is recessed to provide an annular ledge 42 which receives and supports the cover 40 while upstanding annular wall 43 at the outer edge of the ledge 42 functions to index the cover 40.

As mentioned above, and will be described in further detail below, there must be means provided for receiving and securing to the apparatus a flexible vacuum hose. To this end, there is provided a short upstanding pipe 45, having a plurality of serrations 46, adapted to receive thereover one end of a flexible vacuum hose 47. At its upper end 48 the pipe 45 has an opening which is at a particular level in relation to the normal water level in the strainer well for purposes to be described in greater detail below.

In operation, when the operator desires to vacuum the pool, he first removes the cover on the strainer well 10 and then the conventional strainer which is in the strainer well. He can do this without the time or trouble of turning off the pump. At that time, he lowers the container 25, with the strainer basket 31 therein, into the well 10 and disposes the short pipe 27 into the upper end of the pipe .19. The height of the container is substantially less than the height of the water in the well 10. Accordingly, water flows over the sides of the container 25 into the end of the container filling it. At that time, the cover 40, with the valve plate 51 turned to the position shown in 54 where water may be freely drawn through the port 50, is placed into the position shown in the drawing. Here again, it is preferred that the upper edge 48 of the pipe 45 is at a level substantially below the level of the water in the well 10. This is because, during this time that the operator is placing the various components into position, the pump is continuing to run. If the level of the upper end 48 of the pipe 45 were above the level of the water in the well '10, there would be some danger of sucking air into the pipe 19 and thence into the filter or pumpwhich air would cause problems. Although the water being permitted to enter through the port 50 would tend to prevent air from being sucked down through the pipe 45 (if the upper end 48 were above the level of the water in the well 10) it is much preferred that both the vacuum breaking port and the upper end of the pipe 45 be at a level below the level of the water in the well 10.

To this end, it is preferred that the vertical dimensions of the apparatus be designed so that they are always less than the vertical dimensions between the bottom of any strainer well and the bottom of the inlet opening of the inlet passage communicating the strainer well with the swimming pool. Since most strainer wells are in the order of 11 or more inches from the bottom of the well to the bottom of the place where the inlet passage opens into the well, it is preferred that the container 25 have an overall height of around 6 or 7 inches and the pipe 45 have an additional height of 1% or 2 inches.

After the container 25 and the cover 40 have been placed in position, the operator will force the vacuum hose 47 down over the pipe 45, the port 50 is closed, and the vacuuming operation commences. At this point, an additional feature of the present invention will be pointed out. At the commencement of the vacuuming operation there will be some air in the vacuum hose 47. This air will be sucked out of the hose 47 as water is drawn from the swimming pool through the hose. However, the air exiting the hose 47 will enter the chamber formed by the container 25 and tend to stay at the top of the container. Thereby, the air in the vacuum hose 47 is prevented from being passed down through the pipe 19 and thence to the filter or pump of the swimming pool system.

Alternatively, the hose 47 could be fixed to the pipe 45 and then the cover 40-with the port 50 open would be positioned on the ledge 42. Then the valve plate 51 is moved from its position where it does not prevent flow to its position where it closes off the port 50.

It should be noted that the vacuum being drawn by the water exiting through the pipe 19 causes the various components of the apparatus to move into more tight sealing relation. More particularly, the vacuum drawn inside of the container 25 causes the water in the well 10 to force the container 25 more firmly against the bottom 18 of the wellthus increasing the sealing action of the gasket 28. Additionally, the slight vacuum drawn in the container 25 by the water exiting through the pipe 19 results in the water in the well forcing the cover 40 in more tight sealing relationship.

As mentioned above, the cover 40 is made transparent in order to faciltate the inspection of the amount of the debris which has been collected in the strainer 31. At such time as the operator desires to empty the strainer basket 31, he need not turn off the pump as in prior devices. Rather, he moves the valve plate 51 to the position shown in FIG. 4. In such condition, the water entering the container 25 through the port 50 breaks the vacuum drawn on the interior of the container 25 and the cover 40 may be easily removed by merely raising the hose 47 with the cover attached. At that time, the operator merely grasps the bail 35 and lifts the strainer 31 out of the container 25 and the well 10. After the operator empties the strainer 31 he returns it to its original position. At that time, he replaces the cover to its original position, and thereafter, he recloses the port 50 by moving the valve plate 51 to the position shown in FIG. 2. At this time, a full vacuum is drawn from the pipe 19 through the container 25 and the vacuum hose 47, and the vacuuming procedure continues.

While only a few embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described in detail it would be apparent to those skilled in the art that such is by way of illustration only and numerous changes can be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Accordingly, it is my intention that the invention be limiited solely by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with a swimming pool strainer well which has vertical walls and a bottom section and an exit port in said bottom section connected to a pump for withdrawing water from the strainer well, a device for vacuuming a swimming pool adjacent said strainer well, said device being adapted to be selectively placed in said well in an operative position when vacuuming the pool and removed from said well after the vacuuming operation, said device comprising:

an impervious container having a top section and a bottom section joined by wall structure, said container bottom section being spaced away from the bottom section of the strainer well, said wall structure being spaced away from said strainer well walls;

passage means in the bottom section of said container in apposition to said exit port forming a passage for water exiting out of the container into said exit port sealing means between the bottom section of the container and the well bottom section selectively sealing the bottom section of the container around the passage means .to the bottom section of the swimming pool strainer well at said exit port;

hose receiving means on the top section of said container for receiving a vacuum hose used in vacuuming a swimming pool and having an inlet opening for communicating the interior of said hose with the interior of said container through said inlet opening in said hose receiving means;

and strainer means inside said container straining water entering through said hose receiving means and exiting said passage means.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein: said passage means includes a short pipe dependingbelow the bottom of said container and adapted to be pushed into said exit port in the bottom of the swimming pool strainer well for indexing the passage means coincident with the exit port;

and said sealing means includes a gasket encircling said pipe and adapted to be engaged by the bottom of the swimming pool strainer well when said pipe is in said port.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1 including:

a swimming pool adjacent said strainer well;

said swimming pool having water therein at a level above said hose receiving means inlet opening; an inlet passage communicating said well with water in the swimming pool adjacent said well at a position substantially above the bottom section of the well and causing a water level in said strainer well at a level substantially above the bottom section of said strainer well; and I said hose receiving means inlet opening being located at a level below said inlet passage and therefore below said water level when said sealing means is in sealing relation with the bottom of said strainer well, whereby the opening in said hose receiving means is normally below the level of the water which has come into the well from said swimming pool through the inlet passage.

4. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said container is considerably larger in cross dimension than said inlet opening through which water enters the container and the passage means through which water exits the container, whereby the container forms an enlarged storage chamber which will prevent a limited amount of air drawn from a hose connected to said hose receiving means into the container from being drawn out of the passage means.

5. The combination set forth in claim 1 including:

a vacuum breaking port in said container for selectively permitting water to enter said container;

and valve means communicating with said port movable between a first position where it prevents flow into said container and a second position where it does not prevent flow into the container whereby when the valve means is in said first position and water is drawn out of said container through said passage means a vacuum is drawn in the container and draws water through a vacuum hose received on said hose receiving means, and when said valve means is in said second position substantially no water is drawn through said vacuum hose received on said hose receiving means.

6. The combination set forth in claim 5 wherein:

said container top section has an opening;

a cover is provided removably closing said container top section opening;

and said hose receiving means and said vacuum breaking port are located on said cover.

7. The combination set forth in claim 4 including:

a vacuum breaking port on the top section of the container communicating the interior of the container with the exterior of the container;

a swimming pool adjacent said strainer well, said swimming pool having water therein at a level above said vacuum breaking port;

an inlet passage communicating said swimming pool with said well at a position above said vacuum breaking port;

and valve means for selectively closing said vacuum breaking port, whereby air in the upper part of said container can be selectively allowed to escape through said last mentioned port when said container is placed in a swimming pool strainer well with the level of the inlet passage and therefore the water in the well being above the top section of the container.

8. The combination set forth in claim 6 including:

a swimming pool adjacent said strainer well said swimming pool having water therein at a level above said hose receiving means inlet opening;

an inlet passage communicating said well with water in the swimming pool adjacent said well at a position substantially above the bottom section of the well, and causing a water level in said strainer well at a level substantially above the bottom section of the strainer well;

said hose receiving means inlet opening being located at a level below the level of the inlet passage and therefore said water level in the well when said sealing means is in sealing relation with the bottom section of said strainer well, whereby the opening in said hose receiving means is normally below the level of the water which has come into the well from said swimming pool through said inlet passage.

9. The combination set forth in claim 6 wherein:

said cover includes transparent means for permitting the operator to inspect the interior of said container without removing the cover.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 471,840 3/1892 Blessing 2l094 X 3,000,508 9/1961 Spaulding et al. 210-162 X 3,169,920 2/1965 Payne 210-169 REUBEN FRIEDMAN, Primary Examiner.

T. A. GRANGER, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. C1. X.R. 

